Mack taps LPD dryer for new molding cell
Mack Molding Co. of Arlington, Vt., is using LPD-brand vacuum resin dryers from Maguire Products Inc. to help maximize productivity of Mack's new medical molding cell.
The cell is designed for short runs of prototypes, small-lot production and parts in multiple colors. The cell has five injection molding presses, in clamping forces from 40-100 tons. Each press is served by a dedicated LPD dryer.
Some of the products must be molded in small batches, of 100 or less, and in several colors. The LPD dryers have a much shorter drying cycle and small batch size, compared with conventional desiccant dryers, Maguire said.
A three-station indexing mechanism supplies resin to the molding machine while another batch is being dried.
The LPD dryer uses a vacuum to reduce the boiling point of water, quickly turn the moisture into water vapor, and pull the vapor from within the pellets.
Maguire Products is based in Aston, Pa.
Tel. 610-459-4300, fax 610-459-2700, e-mail [email protected]
Blow molder touts
small-bottle machine
Wilmington Machinery Inc. has sold a high-speed rotary blow molding machine to make small bottles — a 50-cavity, six-layer coextrusion system that makes more than 18,000 bottles per hour, from more than 2,000 pounds of high density polyethylene.
The SB machine has a 1.5-ton clamp, to accept bottles ranging from 7½ to 15 ounces.
The machinery maker in Wilmington, N.C., did not identify the customer.
Tel. 910-452-5090, e-mail jnew [email protected]
SAS Automation sells
EOAT system, cutter
SAS Automation LLC, the maker of end-of-arm tooling in Xenia, Ohio, has introduced two products.
A modular vacuum handling system line of robotic EOAT handles bulky and heavy parts without damaging the parts. Each gripper has one valve that is regulated to open and close. Gripping power remains constant, to give good handling with improved lifting.
A thrust cutter degater has double-acting tandem cylinders, and a razor-sharp blade, positioned at a 45-degree angle, for difficult-to-reach sprues in narrow places.
Tel. 937-372-5255, fax 937-372-5555, e-mail geta [email protected]
RKC temp controller
economically priced
South Bend, Ind.-based RKC Instrument Inc. said its RB series temperature controller is economically priced.
A new auto-tuning algorithm calculates optimum proportional-integral-derivative values, to shorten the time needed to reach a set value. After the values have been set, a fine-tuning feature allows the operator to adjust control-release speed, using a six-level adjustment, without changing the PID value.
A startup tuning function can be used for applications needing a long time for conventional auto-tuning.
Tel. 574-273-6099, fax 574-247-9657, e-mail [email protected] .com.
Inkcups Now debuts
latest pad printers
Inkcups Now Corp. has rolled out two new pad printers and a printing-pad material called All-Flex.
The ICN-M15 is a flatbed screen-printing machine designed for easy printing of nameplates, promotional products, panels, signs and other parts up to 5 inches high. It is simple to set up and operate, equipped with a four-way adjustable screen clamp and print head. A vertical-motion tooling table drops to allow the operator to unload a product.
Another new machine, the ICN-2200C, is a carousel two-color, sealed-cup pad printer. The eight-station carousel includes a positive-lock shot-pinned tooling registration feature, for close-tolerance positioning of parts.
Inkcups Now, of Danvers, Mass., bills All-Flex as a general-purpose silicone pad material known for a quick break-in period. It can be used with many different types of inks.
Tel. 978-646-8980, e-mail [email protected]
Graco introduces
dispensing systems
Polyurethane processing equipment maker Graco Inc. introduced the Liquid Control C-402 and C-404 bench-top automated dispensing systems for potting and gasketing small parts.
The units are designed for automating small-parts production, said company officials at Graco's operation in North Canton, Ohio.
With both units, the operator can program and store up to 64 dispensing sequences and run up to 16 programs simultaneously.
Tel. 330-966-3000, [email protected] graco.com.
Erema screen changer
has big filtration area
Erema North America Inc. introduced a 12-screen, six-piston automatic backflushing screen changer with 422 square inches of melt filtration area, called the SW 12/170 RTF.
The SW 12 is effective at filtering contaminants in processes that require frequent backflushing and where a consistent melt flow is especially desired, said Tim Hanrahan, chief executive officer of Erema North America.
During backflushing, only one of the 12 screens is positioned off-line, and during screen changes, only one of six pistons is off-line at a time.
The higher number of pistons and screens results in a steadier, smoother melt flow, with minimal variation. Another advantage is that individual breaker plates are smaller and easier to handle.
Ipswich, Mass.-based Erema's screen changers are available in a variety of configurations, including one piston with two screens, two pistons with four screens and four pistons and eight screens.
Tel. 978-356-3771, fax 978-356-9003, e-mail [email protected] erema.net.
Imatek lab rheometer
touts speed, accuracy
Imatek Ltd. of Herts, England, has introduced the R6000 laboratory twin-bore capillary rheometer.
When used with Imatek's RheoSolve software package, the R6000 allows users to make highly accurate rheological measurements quickly, on a wide range of materials.
It can measure test specimens for shear and extensional properties, comparable to extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, blown film and other plastic processes.
Tel. 44-1438-821-624, fax 44-1438-829-054, e-mail [email protected] imatek.co.uk.